Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-05-21


part OF Africa Is known by the name Of
Kaffer corn The vase IN which this liquid
was handed round was very curious, and as
It more or less rosembled many hundreds OF
others in use among the Amahagger, l may
as well describe 1t. These vases are OF
very ancient manufacture, and OF all sizes
None such can have been made IN the coun-
try for hundreds, OF rather thousands, OF
years They are found In tho rock tonbs, of
which I shall give a description in their
proper place, and my own belief Is that, after
the fashion of the Egyptians, with whom the
former inhabitants Of this country may have
had some connection, they were used TO re-
ceive the yiscera Of the dead. Leo, however,
Is of the opinion that, like the Etruscan am
phorm, they were merely placed there for the
spiritual use Of the deceased They are most
ly two handled, and of all sizes, some being
nearly three feet in height, and running from
that down to as many inches. In shape they
vary, but are all exceedingly beautiful and
graceful. being made Of very fine black
ware, not lustrous, but slightly rough. On
this groundwork were inlaid figures much
moro graceful and lifelike than any others
have seen on antique vases Some Of these
inlaid pictures represented love scenes with
childlike simplicity and freedom Of manner
which would not commend itself TO the taste
Of tho present day. Others again were pict-
ures OF maidens dancing, and others again
were hunting scenes. For instance, the very
vase from which wo were now drinking had
on one side a most spirited drawing of mon,
apparently white In color, attacking a bull
elephant with spears, while on the reverse
was picture, not quite so well done, Of a
hunter shooting an arrow at q running ante
lope, should say from the look Of it either
an Gland or koodoo
This is depression at critical moment,
but it is not too long for the occasion, for the
occasion itself was very long. With the OK
ception of the periodical passing of the vase,
and the movement necessary to throw fuel
on to the fire, nothing happened for the best
part of whole hour. Nobody spoke word.
There we all sat In perfect silence, staring at
the glare and glow Of the large fire and at
the shadows thrown by the Pickering earthen-
ware lamps (which, by the way, were not
ancient On the open space between us and
the fire lay large wooden tray, with four
short handles to it, exactly like a butchers
tray, only not followed out. BY the side OF
the tray was great pair of long handled
iron pincers and ON the other side of the fire
was similar pair. Somehow l did not al
all like the appearance Of the tray and the
accompanying pincers There / sat and
stared at them and at the silent circle Of the
fierce, moody faces Of the men, and reflected
that 1t was all very awful and that we were
absolutely in the power Of this alarming
people, who, to me at any rate, were all the
more formidable because their truo character
was still very much Of mystery to u.s. They
might be better than thought them or they
might be worse. / feared that they wer,
worse, and was not wrong. TWAS curious
sort OF feast, reflected in appearance
indeed, an entertainment Of the Barmecid,
stamp, for there was absolutely nothing t.
| eat.
| At last, just as was beginning to feel a
though were being mesmerized, q move wa
made. Without the slightest warning, maj
| from tho other side Of the circle called out il
| loud voice:
"Where Is the flesh that we shall eati"
Thereon everybody in the circle answers
in deep measured tone, and stretching on
the right arm toward the fire as they spoke:
"The flesh win come"
as it a goatp said the same man.
ut is a goat without horns, and more thai
goat and we shall slay it," they answers
with one voice, and turning half round, the
one and all grasped the handles Of their spear
with the right hand, and then Simultaneous
let them go.
SIS 10 an ok" said the man again.
as it an OK without horLs, and more tina
an OK, and we shall slay it," was the answer
and again the spears were grasped, and agai
let 60
Then came q pause, and ! noticed, wit
horror and rising of the hair, that th
woman next to Mahomed began to fondl
him, patting his cheeks, and calling him b
names of endearment, while her fierce eye
played up and down his trembling form.
don't know why the sight frightened me SC
but 1t did brighten us all dreadfully especial
Leo. The caressing was SO snake like, and S
evidently part of some CHASTITY formul
that had to be gone through.
saw Mahomed turn white under his brow
skin, sickly white with fear.
as the meat ready to be cookedp asked th
voice moro rapidly
"It is ready; it is ready
us the pot hot to cook It'll" 1t continued /
sort of scream that echoed painfully dow
the great recesses Of the cave.
"It Is hot; it is hot"
"Great heavenso roared Leo, "remembe
the writing: The people who put pots upo
the heads of STRANGERS"
As he said the words before we could sti
or even take the matter in, two great rufflar
jumped up, and seizing the long pincei
plunged them into the heart of the fire, an
the woman who had been caressing Mahome
suddenly produced a fiber moose from undo
her girdle, or moooha, and slipping 1t owe
his shoulders ran it tight, while the men mex
him seized him by the legs. The two me
with tho pincers gave heave, and scatterin
Che fire this way and that upon the rock
floor lifted from 1t a large carthenware pC
heated to a white heat. In an instant, almos
with single movement, they had reache
the spot where Mahomed was struggling
He fought like q fiend, shrieking in the abaI
donment of his despair, and notwithstanding
the moose round him and the efforts of th
men who held his legs the Acknowledgements
were for the moment unable to aacomplis
their purpose, which, horrible and meredith
as it seems, was to put the red hot pot upo
his head.
Isprung to my feet with yell of horror
and drawing my revolver, fired it by a Sol
| ~ Instinct STRAIGHT nj tho diaholina1 xvoma